Pothead or electric distributing box



May 29. 1928.

E. w; M INTYRE POTHEAD 0R ELECTRIC DISTRIBUTING BOX Filed March 11, 1927 Patented May 29, 1928.

UNITED STATES EDWARD WILLIAM MGINTYRE, -O35 CLEVELAND, OHIO.

PO'IHEAD OR ELECTRIC DISTRIBUTING BOX.

Application filed March 11, 1927. Serial No. 174,636.

.The present invention relates to distribution of high voltage current from under ground cables to overhead conductors or wires and the main object of the invention resides inthe vprovisionof a distribution box or pot head adapted to receive a main cable carrying twenty-three hundred (2300) to seventy-five hundred (7500) volts from the source and dividing it into a number of leads for distributing the current from the main cable in dilierent directions.

Another object of this invention is to provide a sure protection for the cable ends and connectors while all parts at the same time are easily accessible to inspection and repair and the box rain and snow proof.

The pot head is equally well suited to be attached to a pole, or a wall. 7

The pot head is-made of any suitable insulating material such as porcelain, fiber, or other compositions and may be cast, pressed or built up in any manner to make it strong and durable.

Still another object of this invention is to make the pot head perfectly safe and prevent any possible arcing or leakage. For this purpose the outgoing conductors or wires have each their own insulated compartment which also makes it safe for the workman during installation, inspection, or repair, which compartments may be opened by removing a cap or opening a door.

These and other advantages will be more fully explained in the following disclosure and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevation and partial section of my novel pot head;

Figure 2 a vertical section along line 2-2'of Figure 3;

Figure 3 a horizontal section along line 3-3 of Figure 1, and;

Figure 4 a top plan View of a detail.

The pot head consists of two main parts namely the body member (10) and the hood or cap member (11) which fits closely over the former and can be easily removed. A

' handle or ear (12) is for this reason provided on top of the hood. In the drawing the pot head is shown as of square cross section but it is evident that any other section may be selected such as hexagonal, octagonal, or others, and. any suitable insulating material may be used.

The body (10) is hollow to form a central chamber (1 3) closed at the top and open at the bottom. The body is provided with exterior ribs (14) projecting diagonally therefrom and extending along the greater part of its length "from the top to the horizontal flange (15). In this manner tour exterior compartments (16) are formed between the ribs (14), the body Walls (17), the side walls (18) and roof (19) of the hood (l1) and the horizontal flange (15).

Each side wall (17) of the body (10) has an oblong window (20), preferably to one side thereof and circular windows (21) are formed in the flange (15), one for each compartment and preferably to the other side of the center line as regards the corresponding oblong window (20).

At the upper end of each compartment (16) is to be found a pair of metallic cable connectors (22, 23) of any suitable construc tion and interconnected by a metal plate (21 firmly secured by bolts on the body walls (1?).

The main cable (.26) enters the pot head (10) through the bottom opening (27) and reaches up partway through the lower shank (28) of the body (10). Four branches from the main cable pass upward in the chamber (13) and out through their respective windows (20), each into one of the compartments (16) where its end is attached to the connector by a coupling nut (30). The endof an over-head cable or wire (31) is similarly securedby a coupling nut (32) to the other connector (23) in the same compartment. This wire passes downwardly in its compartment (16) and out through the circular window (21) to form the overhead line.

Ifso desired the central chamber (13) as well as the compartments (16) may all be filled with some suitable insulating compound.

For securing the pot head against a wall or on a pole a bracket or clip (33) may be used. A collar (34) is shown on the shank (28) of the body (10) by means of which the body is carried and firmly secured in position.

The'current enters the pot head through the main cable (26) and is distributed through the branches (29), thence through the connectors (22, 23) to the line wires (31).

For inspection or repair it is only necessary to remove the hood (11), lifting it ofi the body (10), when the wires and connectors will be exposed. -As, however, ribs (14:) separate the compartments (16) from each other, no cross connection or short circuiting, from a loose wire in one compartment to one in the next is possible.

It is evldent that instead of having a removable hood as shown in the drawing each compartment might have its individual door in place of the side wall (18), hinged on one and locked to the other of its ribs With the hood in position, the pot head is waterproof and the wire and cable ends well protected. There is no possibility of rain or snow entering the pot head as the outgoingwlres run through the wlndows at the bottom of the compartments instead of leaving the head from the sides or top thereof.

Although I have only shown and described the preferred embodiment of my invention in the above disclosure and the attached drawing, itis evident that the same is susceptible to numerous modifications without departing from the spirit or' scope of the invention.

I claim: v

A pot-head of insulating material comprising a body and a close fitting open-bottomed hood therefor; said body consisting of side walls arranged in rectangular formation providing a central chamber open at the bottom, a roof therefor connecting the side walls below their upper ends thereby providing upper chambers, diagonal ribs projecting from the juncture of the side walls and extending above said roof and stopping short of the lower end of the side walls, and transverse flanges connecting the lower ends of the ribs with the side walls, a window being provided 1n each side wall and ineach flange adapted to receive 111 and outgoing cables respectively, and means for connectlng the cable ends secured dlrect to the side walls in said upper chambers; said hood consisting of a top and depending walls, said top being adapted to rest above said chambers on the bodyside'walls, the hood walls being arranged in similar formation as the body sidewalls, the corners be tween adjacent hood walls providing retaining recesses for the free edges of the ribs,

ED'WARD WILLIAM McINTYRE.' 

